Favorite Things

Favorite Book: The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini) — An absolute heartbreaking, yet hopeful, story. Few authors can paint such an incredible story through words, but Khaled Hosseini is able to use words in such a way that I’ve never seen before or since. This story will make you cry, laugh, cheer, and rage while taking you through real raw history, tragic reality, and beautiful memories.

Favorite Author: Douglas Adams (The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Dirk Gently, etc.) — This is always a difficult question for me, I could name dozens upon dozens of phenomenal authors who have all had a profound impact upon me and my writing, but Douglas Adams stands in a league of his own. He was an incredibly funny writer with an incredible ability to make even the most mundane moments comical. Yet, he could have you laughing on one page and a bit misty-eyed on the next.

Favorite Genre: Horror — It’s funny how horror should be my favorite genre, whilst being the genre I have almost the least interest in writing. Perhaps it’s because I’ve read too much Stephen King at this point to even fathom entering his realm and trying to stand toe to toe. (Not that writing is a competition at all!) There’s something to be said about the ability to make a reader frightful, especially if you can make them afraid of the absolutely ordinary or even things they’ve never been fearful of before.

Favorite Non-Fiction: Norse Mythology (Neil Gaiman) — Does this count as Non-Fiction? Mythology is a bit of muddy water to wade into, especially as the Norse gods and goddesses are still being worshiped today. Neil Gaiman weaves the few surviving myths of the ancient Nordic religion into an almost tangible narrative that feels almost as natural as a novel or short-story collection. It’s incredibly fun to see myths be retold in a way that keeps them alive for generations to come.

Favorite Poet: Emily Dickinson — Though admittedly, I’ve read less Emily Dickinson than I should care to admit, I read “I’m Nobody! Who are You?” in high school and fell in love with her style. I have a collection of her “envelope poems”, fragments of writing that she either hadn’t finished or just didn’t believe in enough for publishing. Being able to see her handwriting and process is incredible. She’s a testament to the ideology of “quality over quantity”.

Favorite Movie: The Empire Strikes Back (dir. Irvin Kershner) — A perfect sequel is an exceptionally rare thing, especially when the predecessor is a landmark hit. The Empire Strikes Back is a perfect example of building on the past, moving the story forward in new ways, and understanding your characters. Star Wars is a series near and dear to my heart and was my original introduction to the sci-fi genre. I cannot overstate the absolute wonder of this movie.

Favorite Video Game: Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games) — I missed out on the first Red Dead Redemption, having only seen gameplay and the occasional bits of story at my friend’s house growing up. Red Dead Redemption 2 was an absolute masterpiece in terms of storytelling and world-building. A prequel that places you in the shoes of a different protagonist than the previous game, it’s absolutely an incredibly well-made story built upon the foundations of the first and fleshing out a world that Rockstar had so wonderfully crafted. This game is proof that video games are one of the best recent developments for writers everywhere, allowing stories to be told in incredible new ways.

Favorite Album: The Wall (Pink Floyd) — I’ve always been envious of songwriters. Though I played saxophone throughout my school years, I never really had a great ear for composing or lyrical writing. Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and Rick Wright created an album that transcends typical progressive rock, blending genres and taking listeners on a trip through the mind of an isolated rock star as he slips through tragedy after tragedy. Concept albums are a personal favorite of mine. The ability to tell a story through interconnected songs over the course of an album amazes me. The Wall is the ultimate achievement in concept albums. From the thunderous intro of “In the Flesh?” to the chilling lyrics of “Empty Spaces” to the operatic finale in “The Trial”, this album is a must-listen.